


Partners

by pinkpines



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Complicated Relationships, Cunnilingus, Daddy Kink, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Fluffy Ending, Frottage, Heterosexual Sex, Jeralt Eisner is a Daddy, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, PWP, Parent/Child Incest, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Sexual Inexperience, Vaginal Fingering, a side of praise kink, part 1 spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-07 21:43:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20316469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkpines/pseuds/pinkpines
Summary: Byleth isn't entirely sure she is Jeralt's daughter, but she knows it wouldn't change anything about the way she feels.Multi-chaptered incesty smut fest.





	1. Seeing in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Posting this before I lose my nerve. Is anyone surprised I ship this? Damn this incest kink of mine. 
> 
> Not beta'd at all, written and posted straight away so if there are errors/glaring mistakes just let me know.

It was something she had heard often, to the point where it ceased to phase her. People were constantly questioning if she was Jeralts daughter. Villagers were often shocked that the small girl was not an orphaned ward of his. Other mercenaries they worked with assumed she might be a slave of his, though this always made Jeralt angry when anyone suggested such a thing.

“Watch your damn mouth,” he’d spit out in a tone that was harsher than she’d ever heard from him. “That’s my daughter you’re talking about. You’d do well to hold your tongue.”

It didn’t strike her as strange until she was old enough to observe other parents with their children. It was true, they at least loosely resembled each other. She wondered then why it was that she seemed to have none of Jeralts features or qualities. There was something bittersweet about it. Part of her wanted to be closer to Jeralt by baring more of a resemblance to him, but some part of her she could not define was always a bit glad to hear that they did not have that obvious tie to the other.

Perhaps she liked that her bond with Jeralt was not defined by what she looked like. It felt like something precious she could keep to herself, something that didn’t require anyone else’s approving nods or smiles. It was something that was uniquely heirs.

“You’re staring at me again, Kid.” He broke her concentration, causing her to blink in what he could only assume was some form of surprise. “Is there something on my face? Or maybe this scary mug doesn’t please you?”

“No.” Curt but about par for the course as far as her replies went. “I was just looking at you.”

“Oh?”

“We don’t look alike.”

It wasn’t even a question. The statement hung in the air a moment and Jeralt broke the silence with a laugh. His large calloused hand came to rest atop her head and he mussed her hair affectionately.

“No, luckily for everyone you inherited my keen tactical mind instead of my harsh looks.”

That had been enough for her then, filled her with a bit of pride, satisfied if their minds were more alike than anything outward was.

* * *

This man decked out in shiny armor, with his overly familiar demeanor with her father, was too loud for her tastes. On top of that she only really understood half their conversation. Captain? A monastery? What was he even talking about?

“And how about you, Kid? Are you the captain’s child?”

She faltered when asked the question she’d heard throughout so much of her youth. This loud man hadn’t asked her anything new and yet, her response was different this time.

“He is a stranger to me.”

And though Alois’ laugh echoed around them, Byleth could tell from just from meeting Jeralt’s eyes that he had not found the humor in her reply. He looked a bit wounded she would deny him and she felt a twinge of guilt in her chest. Was it wrong to want to skip the needless chatter that was to follow? To hear again how they didn’t look related?

She wanted to apologize and yet, between Alois and the three students from Garreg Mach Monastery- she had no such opportunity. All that was left was to quietly stew in her thoughts as Claude, Edelgard, and Dimitri seemed to chatter tirelessly during the trip back.

The day had been… a lot. Byleth was not accustomed to so much social interaction. For the most part, her days were spent with Jeralt. Sometimes with a handful of other mercenaries but even then, they didn’t bother with small talk or mince words if they didn’t need to. This place, Garreg Mach, was nothing like what she was used to. It was teeming with people, all of them interested in her, wanting to speak with her or learn more about her. And now she was meant to teach? Was she even able to teach? She had never tried it before. She was a better student than anything else, picking up on Jeralt’s lessons and training with alarming precision, so much so that at times it surprised him.

But much like her father, Byleth wasn’t much for talking. She had spent the day trying to listen, nodding politely, and excusing herself when some of the students were a bit too excitable.

He room was downstairs near the student classrooms and yet, she was at unease in this new place in this new role, with all these new people. She needed something familiar to keep her centered.

Her knock on the heavy wooden door was firm and nondescript, and yet somehow a voice on the other side answered in a clear voice, “Come in, Kid.”

A hand against the varnished wood, she peered into the room. A few candles were lit, the lights dim but enough for her to make out his figure at the desk, closing a leather-bound book once she’d entered.

“Surprised I knew it was you, huh?”

Was she? Byleth wasn’t sure what gave him that impression but she nodded slightly.

“So, what’s the matter? Is your room a bit too fancy compared to what we’re used to?”

“Too far.” She replied. He took a moment to string what she meant together.

“That’s true, I don’t think we’ve ever set up camp or settled in an inn somewhere that I wasn’t just a few feet away.”

Closing the heavy door behind her, she moved to stand in front of his desk, wanting to see what he had been reading but Jeralt seemed to be a step ahead of her as always and tucked it in a drawer. She yawned, loudly, barely remembering to cover her mouth, and Jeralt smirked.

“It was a long day, wasn’t it?”

Ah, he always knew the gist of what Byleth wanted to convey or say but didn’t quite know how to. Being able to be with the person who knew her best made her feel relaxed after a day where she felt anything but.

“Can I stay here with you?”

His expression softened a bit. “Hah, the new professor of Garreg Mach Monastery sleeping in her father’s quarters. Aren’t you worried the students won’t take you seriously as a professor if they find out?”

The tone of his voice was firm but not mean, and Byleth knew he had a point but also, what did she know about being a teacher? What did it matter if these strangers took her seriously? Surely her skill would speak for itself in ways she could not. She considered his words carefully but offered him a response as well.

“You're the one who told me to watch out for Lady Rhea. Being that far away from you… it makes me feel as though something bad might happen.”

“Don’t worry, Kid. I didn’t mean to scare you, I just wanted you to be on your guard is all. You can stay the night if it would make you feel more comfortable here.”

* * *

At the very least, one of them was comfortable. The room wasn’t that small, not really. They had slept in places more cramped and uncomfortable than this fully furnished room and yet, Byleth could sense how tense Jeralt was beside her. The whole thing had bit a bit of an ordeal. Jeralt himself insisting he take the floor only to find that Byleth was more stubborn than he could comprehend, and refused to get in bed unless he was there also. When faced with the options: he and Byleth on the floor together, or the two of them in bed- both seemed terrible. In favor of his daughter sleeping more comfortably, he relented and got in bed, facing the wall, with his back to her as she climbed in beside him. When did he become so damn soft? Had he always been this pliable? Or was the truth that giving into Byleth’s rare and infrequent demands had never seemed so difficult until now?

Listening to Byleth’s clothes unbuckle and zip and fall on the floor until she was in some state of undress was bad enough, but she was most certainly too close to him. There was plenty of room for them both to be comfortable and yet Jeralt was all too aware of the impropriety of this situation. They had not shared a bed in nearly a decade. Too much was different now for him to have so easily given into this request of hers, but he was largely powerless against the piercing stare of her eyes that he’d been careless. What a hypocrite he was, truly. He’d told her countless times, carelessness gets you killed and he’d neglected to take his own damn advice to heart.

The first 30 minutes were a nightmare. Byleth tossed and turned so many times he lost count. When she was finally done, she’d ended up right behind him, her breath warming the spot between his shoulder blades and her chest touching just enough that he could feel the slow rise and fall of her chest match the way she exhaled in the microscopic space between their bodies. It was easy enough to ignore, to just be still and wait for her breathing to slow to a point where he could be sure she was asleep. Once she was asleep surely he could relax enough to close his own eyes and drift off. Doubtful he’d get a restful night’s sleep, at the very least he could be a semi functioning human being if he got at least an hour or two. That would be enough, he thought. It would be worth it too, to see Byleth look more herself once morning came.”

For a while it seemed as though the night would run that course, until Byleth’s breathing became shallower, quicker, and tenser. He thought nothing of it at first. Surely it would cease and she would slip back into her usual state of stony silence. That was until he heard her voice let out quietly, a small whimpering sound, too vulnerable to have come from his daughter. He’d never heard her make a noise like that. Was she having a nightmare? Without a second thought he rolled over to check on her.

“Byleth are you… alright?”

The words caught in his throat and he regretted his decision immediately. She was beside him, face flush and both hands meeting under the covers below her waist. He was a damned fool. Had it been that long that he’d heard a woman moan in pleasure that he just forgot what it sounded like?

“What are you…?”

“It itches,” she managed, her voice throaty. “It won’t go away, right here.” Pushing the sheets out of the way there was no mistaking the sight of her fingers dipped underneath her underwear, rubbing against her slit.

Instinctually he pulled the sheets over her again, averting his gaze. “You shouldn’t show me that, Byleth. It’s wrong.”

“Wrong? I… I always come to you when there’s something the matter… wh- what should I do? Should I go to the infirmary?”

This was his own fault, really. His ineptitude as a father led her to this place. Of course she wouldn’t understand. If they hadn’t talked about this sort of thing, who would she have ever spoken about it with? She was a grown woman and she didn’t even fully understand what it meant to feel aroused. He wasn't even entirely sure she grasped the concept well enough to know better. It wasn’t fair of him to scold her just because he was a lacking parent.

“N- No. Not the infirmary.” He sighed. “This is my fault. You’re not sick, you just… don’t understand what you’re feeling. I’m sorry for being such a no-good father, Byleth.”

“You’re not!” Her face was still flushed but her eyes were serious. What shocked him was not her reply, but the volume which she had said it. Always so soft spoken, he’d never heard her shout outside of battle. “I am the one who is no-good. Doing something wrong, calling you a stranger…”

“Hush now,” he reached over and places his hand atop her head, ruffling her blue hair gingerly. “None of that. You are the most important person in the world to me.”

“But… I wet myself… at this age. It’s embarrassing.”

He let out a low chuckle and sighed. “It would be if you had. But, you haven’t. This is… different from how you wet yourself as a child.”

He moved the covers off of her body to get a better look, and sure enough she was right, her underwear was soaked through. He couldn’t leave her like that, and it wasn’t right to leave her in the dark anymore. They weren’t alone in the world anymore. Someone at Garreg Mach might take advantage of how little Byleth knew of these things, and the thought alone steeled his resolve a bit.

“This is because you were… excited for some reason.”

“I was… excited?”

“Yes, though I can’t imagine why.”

Byleth blinked at him a few times and tapped her finger to his chin as though realizing something for the first time.

“I was happy we were so close, and I thought that your shoulders looked quite strong and capable from behind like that, and…your smell… it’s good. I like it.”

Jeralt nearly choked on the air itself. She was too honest. He had been unprepared for that answer at all. It made his heart pound a bit in his chest, it was a strange feeling.

“Never mind that,” he cleared his throat quickly and looked her in the eyes. “It’s my responsibility to teach you to take care of yourself in this world, so for tonight, I’ll help you feel better. Just so you can get to sleep and leave your old man alone. I failed you so I’m making things right.”

It was obvious she didn’t fully understand but Jeralt didn’t think he could handle explaining it any better. He was always horrible with words.

“We can’t leave you in those all night, they’re soaked through. Come now, help me get them off.”

She lifted her hips off the bed and he pulled her underwear off quickly, discarding them to some unseen spot on the floor quickly, as though it burned him to even touch them.

“This must be embarrassing for you, I’m sorry. We’ll get through this as quickly as we can.”

“No… it’s not. I don’t mind if it’s you. It’s just that, my heart is beating fast, I’m starting to feel funny again, right here.”

Her hands dropped between her legs and Jeralt wondered why it was that he hadn’t had a son instead. Things would have been so much simpler, then.

“When a woman’s body gets excited by someone else or maybe the thought of someone else, she gets wet there, where your fingers are.”

“Why would I need to be wet here?”

“So you can be pleasured there, like this.” He slid on hand between her legs, and Byleth’s hands fell away once he began to rub against her slit, moving slowly and deliberately, and frankly, shocked at how wet she truly was. “See, my hands can slide against you here easily because you’re so wet. This is something you should only do with a partner or a lover, Byleth. That’s why I told you it was wrong to show me.”

Her breathing picked up again and he continued to trace her slit, lingering a bit too long at her opening tracing it a few times before sliding back and forth again, enjoying how smooth and wet she was against his fingertips.

“Aren’t we already partners?” Her voice was a whisper in the darkness and he smiled.

“We’re partners on the battlefield, always. But this is different.”

“Why? Why is it different?”

He stopped stroking her and frowned. Byleth could see his eyebrows furrow in the darkness, his face looking conflicted.

“I’m your father. This isn’t something fathers do with their children, Kid.”

Byleth’s small hand grabbed his by the wrist, guiding him back between her legs, making his fingers brush against her clit.

“You made me excited like this, right? That means something is wrong with me, right?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Byleth.” His voice was extremely gentle and sincere and Byleth grasped his wrist tighter.

“There is,” she repeated. “I don’t want another partner. I want you.”

“Jeez, kid, what’re you trying to do to your old man?” He pinched her clit and Byleth gasped, squirming a bit beneath his touch. “Have I spoiled you this much without noticing?”

“No, but… I want to be spoiled, just a little bit.”

“Don’t say things like that, you don’t know what you’re saying.”

Byleth had begun to rock her hips against his hand and Jeralt couldn’t help but watch the sight was his fingers became drenched with her juices.

“It itches more now,” She groaned, frustrated by things she didn’t understand.

“I know. I’m sorry.” He sat up a bit, guiding her to rest on some pillows. “I did promise to help, didn’t I?”

Moving down along the mattress he grabbed her knees and eased them apart, he didn’t want to stare, to give her the wrong impression or anything. His hands parted her lips, revealing her pussy to him, wet and pink and beautiful. The more turned on he got the guiltier he felt. Fuck. Keeping her lips parted he began to lick and suck at her, making Byleth wriggle beneath him so much that he had to use one of his forearms to steady her hips as he tongued her entrance, lapping up her sweet taste, and wrapping his lips around her clit, sucking slowly as his tongue moved in circles against her.

“Ah, what... what is this?”

She panted and Jeralt could feel his cock grow harder as it pressed between his stomach and the mattress. He ignored it though, stamped it down, and took one of his fingers and slid it inside of her as he continued to suck her clit with unrelenting fervor. Her insides clamped down on his finger, slick wet walls sucking him as deep as his finger could reach, stroking the walls of her pussy with the single digit, and twirling it around inside of her before moving it back and forth, in and out of her. She was reduced to those whimpers he’d heard before and her noises urged him on, introducing a second finger to the mix. She gasped and he felt her tighten around him. Removing his lips from their home on her clit he spoke softly to her, resting his cheek against her pale thigh as he rubbed against her walls with two fingers, watching the way her body had soaked them, and continued to pull his fingers in as if she was hungry for his touch.

“Relax, now.” His voice was husky, even for him. “Do you feel it building inside of you?”

She nodded.

“Good, don’t fight it. Remember to breathe, too. Let it wash over you.”

“It’s… too much.” She gasped, gripping at the pillow behind her. “It feels too good…”

“I’m right here, nothing bad is going to happen to you. I’ve got you.”

He worked his fingers in a quicker rhythm, thrusting so his knuckles disappeared inside of her as his thumb rubbed her clit back and forth. Once he could feel her tighten against his fingers, he moved his mouth back over her clit, sucking dutifully as her hands clung to whatever bits of him she could reach- his arm, his hair, and she came fairly silently, all things considered. Removing his fingers from her he licked and sucked at her a bit more, unable to resist tasting a few more times before pulling away and rolling onto his back. He watched her, then, shirt clicking to her from sweat, breasts heaving, and face rosy as she caught her breath. She was beautiful, a truth he had known for a time now, but something that seemed to hit him square in the chest in that moment.

“What was that called?” She turned to her side, somehow managing to look wide-eyed but ravishing at the same time.

“You came.”

“Came… where? I’m here.”

He grinned. “No, no. Some people call it that, cumming. You had an orgasm. It’s meant to be pleasurable.” He paused, feeling sheepish for a moment. “Did it feel good?”

“Yes!” She nodded emphatically and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “But…”

“What is it?”

“That feeling, from before. That itchy feeling… even though it felt so good, it was like, there was something I wanted you to touch… deeper inside? Is that normal?”

“Ah, that. My fingers and tongue aren’t long enough for that, I’m afraid. But I suppose that’s normal.”

“What is long enough, then?”

Jeralt cleared his throat again, “I think that’s enough questions for one night.” He pulled the sheets up over her, up to her neck and cupped her check. “Now get some sleep will you? It’s late and you have a big day tomorrow.”

Byleth nodded, wanting to protest a bit but not wanting to cause her father more trouble than she already had. How was it possible that he could answer so many of her questions but leave her with just as many new ones? Luckily she didn’t have time to ponder over it too extensively before her eyelids grew heavy and she finally fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan to continue this as a chaptered fic- for how many chapters/how deep into the canon timeline? Who can say?


	2. Come to Me as You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You tie yourself to the tracks and there isn't no going back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember the PWP tag? Yeah, me too.

By the time he was awake in the morning, Byleth was gone. Unsurprising as it was, he was still proud of the Kid. Knowing her, she’d slipped out before daybreak to make it back to her room and not draw any unnecessary attention to herself. It was just as well. He’s not even sure what he would have said to her if he’d stirred from his sleep and found her sleeping next to him with her hair a mess and the smell of her still on his fingertips.

There was barely a trace of what had transpired in the room just a few hours ago except the smell of her on his bed linens and the faint outline on the far side of the bed where she had come against his eager mouth. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed at the ceiling. No matter what way he looked at what happened last night- eating out your daughter, fingering her and making her cum was not acceptable parental behavior. In a monastery no less! Jeralt didn’t know what he believed in anymore, to be honest, but if there was a hell, surely he deserved a one-way ticket there. The fact that he had apparently woken up with his cock stiffer than a rock wasn’t helping anything. Wasn’t he too old for this sort of thing?

Had Byleth seen it this morning before she snuck out like a thief in the night? Gods, he had hoped not. Quiet, stoic, unreadable Byleth whimpering and moaning for him last night had nearly been too much for him to bear. Reaching down he freed himself from his breeches and grasped himself, coaxing precum from the tip of his dick with quick work of his hands. It didn’t require much, all he had to do is think of her, lithe and eager for his touch, her chemise clinging to her skin, leaving little to the imagination, even in the dark. He had clung to the last bit of his common sense last night but now there was no apparent danger, nothing holding him back from indulging in a fantasy he knew could only ever come to pass in his mind.

So Jeralt allowed himself this reprieve, and let himself imagine Byleth spreading her smooth thighs for him, asking to him in that forthright way of hers to touch that place deep inside of her that itched so terribly. He squeezed his cock tightly, imagining her slick tightness clamping down around him, what the sound of her in pleasure might be when he reached her deepest place. He thought of the way her nipples poked through the flimsy fabric of her sweat-soaked chemise, her breasts under his hands, as he rocked his hips against hers. It came so easily now, worrisomely so, these thoughts of her disheveled and needy, her big blue eyes staring into his, somehow seeing him and not seeing him at the same time.

He came easily, spilling into the sheets, grunting as he shot his cum onto the spot she’d been laying in not so long ago.

“Fuck,” he groaned, rolling over so that he could put himself back in his breeches and wad his sheets into a ball that he tossed into the corner of the room.

* * *

The day was agonizingly slow, the hours dragged even though Byleth was up to her neck in what were seemingly normal activities for a professor to partake in. She thought it quite odd but relented to bending to what was required of a professor at Garreg Mach. Admittedly, she knew a lot about being a merc but next to nothing about being a reliable teacher.

She spent some time in the morning speaking with Rhea and Seteth, who seemed to be glaring at her but she couldn’t quite be sure that wasn’t simply just how he always looked. Then it was touching base with her house leader, who she admittedly chose on a whim because she had no real frame of reference for what choice to make outside of her brief conversation with Sothis.

Then there was lunch, which was customary to have with some of her students to keep their spirits high. This was especially challenging for Byleth, who wanted to speak to her father but by the time she had finished with her lunch, was somehow roped into returning a few lost items she’d found on the grounds to some of the students. They were surely an absent-minded bunch to misplace so much without a second thought! By the time she had found her way to Jeralt’s quarters, it was empty, the bed made with fresh linens and everything looking picture-perfect, as though what had transpired between them had been a dream.

“Are you looking for Captain Jeralt?” Leonie seemed to read her thoughts, and she turned around, not elaborating much beyond an affirmative nod. Had she been in the hall this whole time? Was she waiting for him too?

“Just missed him, we talked a bit before he left to run some training exercises with the Knights of Seiros.”

“I see…” They had been talking? Byleth wondered if they had been in the room together too. Something about the thought made her chest feel heavy.

Leonie stared at her for a moment, eyes narrowing as she sized her up. “By the way professor, there’s something I wanted to ask. Are you really Captain Jeralt’s kid?”

Byleth shook her head, eyes dropping to the floor. “I don’t know.”

“That’s a pretty detached tone to take about your own family. What’s your opinion of him, then? You must look up to him at least.”

Her opinion of Jeralt? He was strong, formidable, with a keen mind, and was always so patient with her, despite how different she was from other children. “I respect him of course.”

“Hm, it doesn’t sound like you really appreciate him. You didn’t even know until you came here that he used to lead the Knights of Seiros, did you? If it weren’t for him you wouldn’t be half the person you are.”

Leonie’s voice was as harsh to Byleth’s ears as her sour expression was. It was true, she didn’t know all about Jeralt’s past. There was so much he didn’t talk about. There was so much she didn’t know about herself either. And yet, Leonie seemed so… angry.

“You’ve probably never even thought about how lucky you are. Ugh! This really bothers me!”

Part of her wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words. Instead, she silently let Leonie finish her tirade before storming off, leaving Byleth a bit stunned in her wake.

* * *

When words failed her, her sword never did. Training without a formidable partner was somewhat lackluster but Byleth did her due diligence anyway, running through a regimen she had done with Jeralt so many times that it was second nature to her.

It couldn’t be helped, she just felt like she had these feelings bubbling up inside of her that she had never felt before. She wanted to be with Jeralt again, to have him touch her, make her feel as good as she had felt yesterday. And then there was that loneliness of missing him during the day, not being able to talk to him when she needed to, it was confusing. Then there was Leonie, who kept saying how close she was to Jeralt, but that couldn’t be true, right? Who was she to go to his quarters to speak with him? She was just a student, what was their business together? She parried and sliced the air, striking her blade against the poor training dummy who absorbed the brunt of… what was this? Frustration? Anger? Confusion? Perhaps it was all of those things?

“Ugh!” she grunted, thrusting her sword into what would have been the training dummy’s guts if it had any.

“Ah, I thought I heard you out here. It’s getting late.”

She whipped her head towards the sound of his voice, and sure enough, there was Jeralt, leaning against a column, looking pleased if not a bit dirty himself. She supposed he had a long day as well if this was when he was getting back. Then again she had never known him to go easy when it came to training. She should have expected as much from him.

She caught her breath as he took several long strides over, easily freeing her sword from where it was plunged into the dummy with one fluid motion, tilting the handle towards her so she could take it from him.

“I thought you’d be tired from your first official day as Professor. Perhaps this new job is bringing out the serious side of you, Kid.”

“I was thinking.”

“Oh?” her answer seemed to surprise him. “Did something happen today?”

She paused, finally grasping the sword and sheathing it at her hip.

“Alright, we don’t have to talk about it. Let’s head back and get you cleaned up.”

She gave him a blank look, “You’re dirty too,” she muttered under her breath.

* * *

He’d wanted to turn in immediately but Byleth refused, essentially shoving him into the men’s side of the sauna, despite his complaints of being tired. She countered with how it would be a way to relax his muscles after a strenuous day. He didn’t have it in him to fight much, besides, how often did he get to enjoy a sauna in his line of work? It had been a long time.

When he was done he changed back into his clothes but wasn’t sure if Byleth had finished first and head back to her room, or if she was dragging her feet. Both seemed plausible, and so after lingering outside the sauna for a few minutes, he walked back to her room, rapping his knuckles against the door.

“You in there, Kid?”

The door creaked open and he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him with a kick of his boot.

“I’m surprised you were so quick, normally you take ages getting ready.”

Getting a good look at her, he stopped in his tracks. The room was lit by several candles but she stood there in the middle of the room in a state of undress. She must have been changing when he knocked. She was wearing her black shorts, but she wasn’t wearing her stockings or boots, and a linen top he recognized as being the only thing she wore underneath her attire. It was transparent now in the candlelit glow of the room, and he could see her nipples pink and erect, pressing against the fabric.

“Why didn’t you say you weren’t done changing,” he sputtered and turned to grab the door, but her hand reached out for his, tugging at it gently.

“I am done, now.”

She pulled him back to face her and Jeralt felt like he was dangling at the edge of an unseen precipice, and one wrong step would send him falling to his end.

“Kid, you don’t understand what you’re doing.”

She began to undo the buttons on her shorts, her eyes watching him intently, compelling him to keep his feet planted firmly to the ground despite a small voice in his head telling him he should leave.

“I’m not a kid.” She tilted her head slightly. “What don’t I understand?”

“Last night, that was just a lesson. It wasn’t going to happen again. I was just showing you what those things meant.”

Her hands kept moving, undoing the last button, and looping her thumbs through the material and pushing them down her hips.

“Why can’t it happen again? You didn’t like it?”

He felt stupid, standing there, watching her shorts move lower and lower, as though they were revealing a secret to him.

“It doesn’t matter if I liked it. I’m your father.”

Blyleth’s hands froze in place and her face changed, ever so slightly.

“I don’t know that!”

Surprised, he locked eyes with her. Was she actually angry with him?

“I don’t know if you’re my father. I can’t remember anything about myself… just… who I am now. A mercenary, trained by Captain Jeralt. I know that I’m strong because you taught me how to be. We should be strangers instead, it would be better… like, you and Leonie.”

Her voice was uneven, frustrated. Her words stung him sweetly. Byleth, confused, angry, jealous? His Byleth had been at Garreg Mach for two days and had changed so much.

“Don’t be stupid, Kid.” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close to his chest. When was the last time he held her like this? Not since she was small enough to be carried on his shoulders, probably. “What’s this nonsense about Leonie?”

“She says I’m lucky but, I don’t think I am lucky.” Her arms grasped at his shirt and he pressed his face against her hair.

He wasn’t sure he understood what she meant but he did his best to comfort her, despite that.

“You and Leonie are nothing alike. I like you, just as you are."

“I know.”

Jeralt felt her hands grab onto his shirt and suddenly Byleth’s mouth was on his, clumsily pressed against his lips unsteady and unsure of what she was meant to be doing with them. Her mouth was softer than he had expected, and he muttered ‘kid’ against her lips, as a last form of resistance before reaching to cup her face and kiss her back.

He was gentle and slow, acutely aware that this was her first kiss, something she had for some reason decided to give to him, despite the numerous things wrong with their situation, least of all being the order in which they had tackled these strange new things.

Pulling away he gazed at her face, cheeks perfectly flushed.

“Your beard tickles,” she noted.

“You kissed me,” he stated, somewhat disbelievingly.

“You’ve been my partner for as long as I can remember,” she moved her hands to her shorts again, to finish what she had started earlier. “After last night, aren’t we lovers?”

“That’s not exactly...”

“You kissed me here, right?” Her shorts slid to the floor leaving her lower half completely exposed. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Add that to the list of things that had him surprised. “So why can’t I kiss you back?”

“You know the reason, Byleth.”

“You’re a lot of things. You’re Jeralt, a mercenary, my partner in battle, I never knew you you were Captain of the Knights of Seiros- but you were. You can be more than one thing.” She stated matter of factly. “I don’t care what else you are.”

Her pussy was so very close to his hand, and Byleth grabbed him by the wrist and guided his fingertips to the juncture between her legs, where she was just as wet as she had been last night. Could he be everything Byleth wanted him to be?

“You make my body do this,” she sighed. “Father, you make me this wet.”

She so rarely referred to him as anything but Jeralt. Was this why? And was that why something about her calling him that felt so sweet to hear?

“Touch me,” she said easily, as though her request were the most natural thing in the world to ask him.

Jeralt obliged, his hand leaving the heat of her pussy and sliding up her stomach, fingers sliding slowing along her smooth skin as she glanced up at him in surprise.

“What are y-“

“I’m touching you,” he watched her face as his fingers fondled just past her rib cage, along the underside of her breasts. His thumb stroked there, watching her face intently as she shivered slightly at his touch.

“Was that not what you meant? I can stop.”

“No. You’re allowed to touch me anywhere.”

He moved his hand to cup her breast, large and overflowing in his hand. She’d grown so much. Too damn much. He squeezed her breast slightly, tracing his thumb over her nipple, smirking when she arched her back into his hand. She was rewarded with a slight pinch of her nipple and she gasped.

It was his turn to close the space between them with a kiss, easing her lips apart and dipping his tongue inside of her mouth, committing the taste of her lips with the other lips whose taste he was now so familiar with. His tongue explored her mouth and he tugged at her nipple again, causing her to break the kiss with a breathy gasp.

His hand caressed her other breast, and Jeralt leaned down to nip at her through the linen fabric that was hiding her full splendor from his gaze. He held onto the fabric from the underside of her shirt and with a movement honed by a level of dexterity only time could teach, he tore the front of her shirt open, too quickly for her to protest.

“My undershirt!”

“You have others.” He grinned as she watched his hands worked over her bare chest. Her nipples grew hard with each caress and touch, each bite and nibble until he grasped one of her breasts and latched his mouth to her nipple, sucking for a bit and soothing it with his tongue, continuing back and forth until Byleth was moaning quietly against his shoulder.

“St- stop. Don’t.”

He kissed the tops of her breasts and rolled his thumb over her swollen nipple. She gasped quietly in response.

“What is it?”

“It’s sensitive, I can’t take much more.”

“Why not? Tell me what it feels like so I can understand properly.”

“The more you do that, the more my crotch feels itchy.”

He laughed, a low rumble before pressing a peck to her lips. “Don’t say crotch. That’s your pussy.”

“Oh.” She blinked at him, her lips parted, realizing there was more for her to learn, it seemed.

“Tell me what you need from me.”

“T-touch me there. I want your fingers in… inside my pussy.”

Jeralt felt dumb with desire, his already stiffening cock twitching in his breeches at her request.

“Good girl,” he kissed her once more, and let his fingers delve between her legs, instead of teasing her more than he already had. “Your pussy is even wetter now. Do you like being teased, after all?”

His fingers were quickly coated with how wet she was, but he only rubbed her slit, he would slide up and down, rub her clit and then repeat the process. He couldn’t help himself, to be able to touch her like this, without restraint, it was only natural for him to savor everything.

“Inside,” she whispered as he pushed his knee between her bare legs.

Her clit was stiff and he rubbed it in quick circles, sucking gently on her neck, her breasts, anywhere his mouth could reach.

“I need your fingers inside my pussy,” she repeated, clinging to his shoulders as they stood in the middle of her room.

Jeralt guiding her backward a few steps so she could sit on the edge of her desk, legs spread as he rubbed the hard nub between his two fingers.

“Good girl, I’ve got you,” he whispered against her lips, kissing her deeply as he obliged her, his finger sliding easily inside of her. Byleth felt dizzy from the combination of Jeralt’s praises and his fingers finally filling up that spot that had been aching for him to touch. His finger moved without hesitation and Jeralt quickly added a second finger once he realized how wet she really was and how much he’d truly teased her.

With one hand working to slide his fingers in and out of her, the other held onto her thigh, fingertips digging into soft flesh, keeping her legs spread enough so he could watch the way her body seemed to react to his every touch. It was dizzying. Over and over his knuckles disappeared inside her pussy, pulling out, sticky, wet, before delving back inside for more.

To her credit, Byleth’s hands still moved to his shirt, small hands pushing the orange fabric up, haphazardly of course, as she was making all kinds of noises that to Jeralt’s ears, sounded like a symphony.

“What’s this now?” he let go of her thigh to tip up her chin and kiss her hungry mouth.

“It’s not fair to be the only one naked. I want to see you, too.”

“You’re so honest,” he moved his hands to his shirt, Byleth whimpering as his fingers slipped out of her. Luckily it was quick work when there were no buttons involved, pulling his shirt over his head and letting it fall to the floor.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you like this,” she spoke quietly, but her hands said it all. They wandered over his shoulders and chest, tracing raised scars and following the dusting of hair that started below his belly button and continued underneath his breeches.

“Easy does it,” he cautioned her. He’d prefer to keep it together if at all possible. If she began to grab him who knew what would happen after.

“I want to see all of it.”

“Is this not enough to satisfy you, Kid?” His fingers found their way back inside of her but this time he slid a third slowly inside, feeling her entrance give away to the added girth, knowing it was necessary if she continued to obsess over what was in his pants.

Byleth arched her back at this new feeling, fuller than before, signaling something inside of her she didn’t know the name of. Her hands grabbed at the hard bulge between Jeralt’s legs, the shape of it impossible to miss through the fabric of his breeches, and the moan he let out in response made something low in her belly flutter with anticipation. Before he could try to stop her, she worked her fingers quickly over the would-be barrier that kept her from the object of her curiosity. It was only a few moments before her fingers tugged and pulled at his breeches and his cock sprung free, bobbing between her legs, and heavy in her hands, it seemed.

“Do you even know what you’re playing with?” his voice was stern but she was too preoccupied with staring at what she had between her hands. She barely registered him stepping out of his breeches.

“Your manhood, right? Do… they all look the same?”

“No, they don’t,” he replied honestly. “But you call it a dick, or a cock. Who in all the realms taught you the word manhood?”

She shrugged, her hand still wrapped around his dick, looking a bit startled when it throbbed in her grasp. She wasn’t expecting it to move. How interesting.

His fingers curled inside of her, getting her attention in the form of fondling her g-spot enough to make her relax her grasp of his dick and hold onto the table to steady herself.

“Since you’re so curious,” he grinned, removing his fingers from her pussy and using the same hand to guide his cock to rest against her belly, the tip of it easily reaching her belly button. It was warm against her skin.

“The reason your pussy gets so wet is to fit this inside of you. Every inch, till it hits somewhere around here, to get to that place deep inside that you can’t reach by yourself.” he traced around her belly button, slowly looping around twice and then resting his hand against her hip.

“It’s so big, it can’t fit.” She was skeptical, rightly so. Not knowing anything about this particular subject, the prospect of him fitting his entire cock inside of her did not seem entirely likely, though the idea of satisfying that ache in her belly was increasingly appealing.

“That won’t be for a while, don’t worry.” He moved back, one arm wrapped around her back as he guided her into the bed. “It’s getting late, lie down and I’ll take care of you like yesterday.”

She paused a few steps short of the bed.

“What about you?”

“You’re worried about your old man?” 

“I want you to feel good too, that’s all.”

The words fell out of her mouth so easily, it surprised him momentarily. He grabbed her by the hips and turned her around to face the bed, partly to spare him the indignity of having her see him blush and also for more practical purposes.

“All the things we have done, they already feel good for me.” He slid a hand over her ass, pressing it between her legs and kneading the flesh of her inner thighs. “But I’m sure I can think of something else if it would make you feel better.”

* * *

Until now, Byleth had always been able to see Jeralt, but from this position, all she could do was feel him, and anticipate what he might do next. It was odd but somehow simultaneously exciting. His fingers touched her and she leaned back into his touch, feeling his fingers spread her slickness to her thighs as well. She wanted to ask what he was doing back there but, knew well enough to trust Jeralt, he had never given her a reason not to.

The same hand pressed between her shoulder blades, tracing a line along the curve of her spine, it was a slow journey, lower and lower until she felt him grasp her bottom firmly, pushing her ass cheeks apart as if to see her better before a familiar heat pressed against her, his cock pressed against the length of her ass, nestled between her cheeks momentarily before she could feel him dragging the tip of it up and down a few times before stopping and pulling away.

She didn’t understand what he was doing and went to turn around to see for herself. He seemed to notice, however, and adjusted himself quickly so his dick was positioned at the bottom curve of her ass, and pushed forward, slowly. If he was going slowly so he could gauge her reaction, Byleth didn’t notice or didn’t care. She could feel the hot hard length of him press between her thighs, against her slit and rub against her clit before the swollen head of his cock peeked out from between her legs. It glistened, shining from her own arousal and her breath caught in her throat as he repeated the motion again but in reverse.

“You feel so good,” his breath was hot against her neck and she leaned against his back, wanting to feel him hard and throbbing so close to her entrance.

He thrust once more, quicker this time and the way his hips smacked against her this time had her unsteady.

“Keep your legs pressed together,” he leaned in close to her ear his tongue dragging along the lobe for good measure.

His hands curled around her to fondle her breasts, and though each thrust of his hips caused her to lurch forward, his hands on her chest steadied her. Slowly he eased into a rhythm, his hips hitting her over and over at a pace her body began to anticipate. His dick slid easily through her thighs, the head parting her slit just enough for it to feel good, and she panted when he rubbed against her clit.

Was she getting wetter? She couldn’t tell anymore, his slickness and her slickness seemed to be the same after a while. And his large hands cupping her breasts so tenderly, always seemed to tug or pull at her nipples when she expected it the least.

His back pressed against hers and he threaded his fingers through hers as they used the bed for support.

“I’m going to move faster now, alright?”

She nodded, and just like that, he was true to his word. Sweet delicious friction rippled through her as Jeralt moved to a faster pace, the sound of his hips hitting the soft flesh of her backside and the wet sound of his cock rubbing against her seemed to be the only sounds in her ears. She squeezed his fingers, her head falling as their bodies rocked together, and she could see it clearly from that angle, the place where their bodies met. It was strangely erotic to watch as his dick poked through her thighs, again and again, rocking against her clit over and over until suddenly he slowed down again to the slow and steady motions he’d started with.

“Ah, why’d you stop?” She was panting, her voice breathy.

“It sounded like you could use a break.”

“What? N- No. I’m fine.”

Jeralt made a low humming noise behind her and she could feel that he was holding his cock and sliding the head against her slit, pushing up against her slit as opposed to just sliding across it. He paused a bit at her entrance and Byleth felt her pussy twitch in anticipation.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was quiet now, her back arching against his chest.

“Giving you a kiss,” he rubbed again, circling her entrance and just positioning himself at her entrance. Would he fit? The thought danced in her brain, surprising her a bit but dissipated as he adjusted himself back to how he had been before. This time, his left hand spread her pussy a bit as he began to move again, making it so more of him was grinding against more of her. 

“Ahh,” she moaned, and he began to rub circles against her clit as well. “It’s good, it’s really good,” she managed to choke out.

He seemed to like that because his hips moved faster, his teeth grazing her shoulder as he moved a bit faster, and faster still.

“Come for me, Byleth.” He urged her, his voice tender in her ear. She was so close, and he must have noticed because his fingertips moved quickly and precisely against her clit. All it took was him to roll her clit between his thumb and forefinger and she came, her torso now resting fully against the bed as he continued to thrust against her. Her clit was so sensitive, she couldn’t help but moan quietly as he continued to thrust, coming soon after her, dick twitching against her, spilling himself onto her bedsheets.

Byleth felt weightless and for a moment wondered if that’s just a side effect of pleasure was. Turns out it was just Jeralt lifting her in his arms so he could put her in bed, under the sheets, her head resting against a pillow. Her eyes felt so heavy but she was present enough to reach out for him when he made a move to grab his things and clean up a bit. She wanted him close for just a while longer. She knew he had to leave buts selfishly she wanted another moment by his side.

“I’m here,” he reassured her, his tone soft and she could feel his fingers threading through her hair, pushing it out of her face, smoothing it back. It was a simple thing, but, it was so comforting.

“I’ll wait for you to fall asleep.” His promise was enough to ease her mind and she let lidded eyes shut, welcoming the sleep that eventually washed over her exhausted body. It almost felt like lips pressed against her forehead but she wasn’t able to do anything but yawn quietly and drift off to sleep.


	3. Flowers Never Pick Themselves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you think you've got it figured out, you find out you haven't figured it out at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some light angst snuck in here towards the end.

The being that seemed to share her subconscious perched on a corner of her room, seemingly assessing Byleth as she readied herself for a few successive training sessions. Varying her opponents was the best way for her to get stronger. She seemed to finally notice Byleth staring at her ethereal form, not quite phantomlike but… something about the edges of her form giving away the fact that she wasn’t truly physically there in the room with her.

“Do not gaze at me like that. Come now, if you have need of my guidance, you may ask me for advice.”

Silence ebbed between them and Byleth grabbed her boots, lacing them up silently.

“Honestly, mortals are so foolish. There is nothing you can hide from me. Your thoughts and feelings are mine too, even if you refuse to speak of it, I know what you have done. Just what are you thinking? Nevermind. Do not answer that!”

Byleth looked a bit sheepish. “I forgot you’re always there… I’m still getting used to it. Sorry.”

Sothis seemed to accept this without too much admonishment. “Do not be embarrassed, mortal affairs of the flesh are of no consequence to me. Though the ritual itself does seem rather sordid, does it not? Furthermore, I did not spy on you, I simply… can sense you have much on your mind related to the matter.”

“The only thing I really know about myself is that Jeralt raised me, and helped me become strong.”

The green-haired being waved her hand impatiently as if urging her to continue.

“It was just occasionally distracting before,” she noted. “Noticing things, wanting more from him. It was difficult before… but it’s somehow more distracting lately.”

“Yes you have both made it quite complicated now, have you not? I can sense your mind filled with thoughts of him, even now. Your heart betrays you.”

Byleth blinked. “You aren’t going to yell at me for…any of it? He’s my…”

“Partner, isn’t it?” Sothis shrugged her soldiers in a way that was equally dismissive as it was comforting. “I can sense the connection you share well enough to know that your relation to that man will not deter anything. You are as stubborn as you are dim-witted. What is done is done. You have both made steps into this new territory you have carved out for yourselves. You cannot go back to the way things once were.”

Ah, well there was no arguing that.

“I admit even I can see that you bear no resemblance to this man you’ve chosen for yourself. However, though you have your doubts of the truth of your parentage, if you found out that he was undeniably your real father, for better or worse, what would you do then?”

That was a fair question, one she had not allowed herself to linger on for long.

“If you are flesh of his flesh, blood of his blood, would you abandon this pursuit? Would you regret what you’ve already done?”

“No,” she found the answer quickly, without hesitation. “So much about my life is not normal. I have you in my head and we don’t know why or what it means. If he’s my father… my feelings would stay the same. It was never enough to stop how I felt about him before, I don’t think it would matter any more than it ever has.”

Clapping her hands together quickly Sothis seemed content with such a concise answer. “Well done. You’ve decided then.”

“That’s it?”

“What? Does my council not satisfy you! Such insolence! As though I have not been privy to your thoughts and desires since the start. Just because I show restraint does not mean I do not know the depth of your feelings. This is not a mere passing fancy. You have wanted this since before you knew it had a name.”

“Thank you,” Byleth rose to her feet, fastening her sword to her hip and offering a smile to the being that was essentially, her first real friend. It felt nice to have someone to talk to about these thoughts. She’d normally talk to Jeralt about anything she was mulling over but it was more complex when he was the thing she thought of the most lately.

“You’re going to be late. Quickly now, you must depart.” Sothis sighed, phasing out of view and going… wherever it was she went when Byleth couldn’t see her.

She nodded silently before heading out of her room and towards the training grounds.

* * *

First thing on the agenda was assisting the students who were currently focusing their studies on swords. Byleth found this bit was quite easy, and required her to simply correct poor stances, correct mistakes as they emerged, and to pair them based on skill level so that they were evenly matched, from novice to intermediate level. None were quite expert yet, though there were a few who showed exceptional promise. Occasionally she pulled out her sword to demonstrate but the session went quickly and the students somehow seemed invigorated at the prospect of practicing a bit more on their free time.

She had scheduled a lecture right after, a way to keep her mind focused and busy when she would have otherwise been a bit distracted. Though here might have been one student who was dozing off occasionally at the back of the classroom, Byleth felt it had gone rather well. She wasn’t much of a speaker, much less a lecturer, but Manuela had been offering a bit of advice when she had been asked. She was grateful for her counsel. Manuela might have been a bit messy when it came to her personal quarters, but Byleth found she was more than capable as a professor- her professional demeanor completely opposite from her personal one. The dichotomy was strange but… somewhat endearing.

A few hours later she had sparred with Alois and Seteth, who were also opposites in their own way. Alois was loud and boisterous, but there was no doubting his strength. As for Seteth, well she had been surprised he had accepted her request to train. She knew he did not much care for her, but it seemed as though he had decided to tolerate her… likely to appease Rhea. Whatever his reasons were, Byleth found herself less interested in the why and more interested in what it was she could learn from him. After all, training was not simply about lingering in the areas which you felt the most comfortable in. If she only focused on what she already excelled at, she wouldn’t grow. She was no longer just training for mercenary work, she was meant to teach others now. How could she teach things she did not know herself?

By the end Byleth was sweaty and the familiar feeling of exhaustion had begun to creep into her arms and legs. She had probably overdone it a bit. Surely Sothis would scold her later for taking such poor care of a vessel she also had to inhabit, but Byleth didn’t know any other way to be. When she was unsure of what to do, she had always focused on training. Jeralt had not really been especially emotive with her, perhaps he was mirroring her own behavior to make her feel less strange. It was hard to say. Byleth was not often overcome with strong emotions, they were rare and often not tied to anything concrete. If she thought on them hard enough, they mostly stemmed from her desire to belong. For many years she had known she was not like other children. Byleth had decided then that she did not need to belong anywhere, and instead she would just belong with Jeralt. At his side they managed to make their place anywhere they hung their swords. It was a place where she felt at peace. His were eyes that had never stared at her strangely, instead, he had only ever accepted Byleth.

That had not changed yet, she doubted it would.

“Am I early?”

His voice broke her reverie and she shook her head side to side quickly, her hair was still a bit stuck to her forehead from earlier.

“Alois told me you two had trained, but how is it that you somehow look worse for wear?”

“Seteth,” she answered simply.

He seemed to connect the dots and grabbed a folded piece of linen from the bag on his shoulder, unfurling it a bit and draping it over her head. His large fingers worked over her scalp firm but gentle. The fabric smelled faintly of soap and of the man who stood just an arm's length away. Byleth sighed quietly as he dried her hair a bit. It was comforting, and nice.

“He does seem the type to want to test your limits,” Jeralt admitted. He pushed back the linen from her face, folding it and dabbing her forehead a bit. “You sure you want to train? You seem tired, Kid.”

“I’m not,” and he seemed fine with this answer, moving to rest his bag on the bench she was resting on but Byleth stopped him with a hand to his wrist. “Can we go for a ride? Outside of Garreg Mach?”

“I wouldn’t mind some time outside of the Monastery walls,” he admitted.

* * *

The only one at the stables was Marianne, who shyly showed Byleth and Jeralt each horse by name, describing their dispositions as one might talk about an old friend, and suggesting who they might like to take out for a bit of exercise. It was unusual but Byleth was appreciative of her help, and the two of them saddled up and rode out of Garreg Mach. They still had daylight to guide their way, and Byleth let Jeralt lead, he admittedly knew the lay of the land better than she did from his time as a Captain. Someone else might ask him why he had never mentioned it but Byleth didn’t see the point in those questions.

Jeralt had a whole entire life before her, and she didn’t deem herself particularly privy to it. If he hadn’t told her, it was either because there were things about it he wanted to forget, or because he didn’t deem it something she needed to know. He would tell her if he wanted to. She would listen if he did.

“How has your class been, Professor?” His tone was a bit teasing and Byleth gave him an unamused look.

“It’s… fine. I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon.”

“Well, you always were a fast learner. I have no doubt you’ll excel. Those kids are lucky to have you teaching them.”

She wasn’t entirely sure about that but, she could never refuse words of praise when they came from him. Instead, she glanced down at the reins in her hands, idly wondering where they might be headed, if anywhere. They had been riding for a bit and mostly in the same direction.

“Sorry I didn’t have anywhere in particular in mind,” she noted. “I just thought it would be nice to be outside for a bit.”

“Ah, that’s fine. There is a place I think you’d like that’s not too far off. Should we take a look?”

Nodding, she watched him bring his horse to a slow gallop, and she followed suit. Through the trees, and off the path she had to pay attention to low hanging branches but Jeralt always made things look effortless. He was at home on a horse, and though Byleth was more than capable as a rider, she was not nearly at his level. The grass seemed lush, and the longer they rode in this direction the more flowers she could spot as they rode by. It was spring, after all, and blossoms were turning up all the time in the mild weather and brilliant sunshine. It wasn’t until Jeralt suddenly brought her to some sort of clearing that he eased into a slow trot.

All around them in the clearing were flowers, pale blue and white, a stark contrast to the green grass and lush trees around them. Further in was a small lake, surrounded by some dense trees. Byleth continued to follow him until he stopped near the lake, dismounting his horse and leading it to the lake's edge. His horse seemed eager to follow and began to get what appeared to be a cool drink of water. Jeralt gave the steed a gentle pat as he drank and Byleth mirrored his actions with her own horse.

“What do you think, Kid? A hell of a view, right?”

“I had no idea something like this was so close to the Monastery,” she nodded, looking around once more. “It’s nice here. Very serene.”

“That’s a good word for it. It’s a bit northwest of the town, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else any time I’ve visited it. Not sure if it’s on any maps of the area. Probably just plotted out as woodland, I’d guess.”

Byleth left her horse to drink it’s fill, walking a bit in the grass, back towards the flowers. She knelt down and plucked a white flower. The yellow center reminded her of the color of Jeralt’s hair. She smelled it and held it out to him as though she were offering him a smell of it’s fragrance. He smiled and stepped closer, obliging her by smelling the flower as well. He paused as though he were assessing it’s smell, a finger tapping against his chin.

“Not bad, as far as flowers go.”

“I never thought you were the type to like flowers.”

“Hah! I’m more of a fan of the quiet, I think.”

That seemed more in line with his tastes and Byleth was content with the answer. She was never the type to fill in silences between them with excessive talking. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath as a breeze rolled past, noting that the air was refreshing and sweet. Not too far behind her she could hear the horses lapping up water, their tails swishing now and then. It was peaceful, compared to the day she had. She was interrupted by an unceremonious thump next to her, and she opened one of her eyes to see Jeralt, laying on his back, arms stretched out on either side of him, eyes shut. It was rare to see him so unguarded.

His eyes remained shut just long enough for Byleth to pick several more flowers and place them carefully in his messy blonde hair. She was threading a light blue flower to a spot that looked particularly empty when his hand caught her by the wrist unexpectedly. He glanced at the flower in her fingers and looked back up at her wide-eyed expression.

“You giving me a makeover?”

His free hand gently felt atop his head, his fingers finding a flower or two and letting out a laugh, loud and warm, making Byleth’s chest feel tight. His eyes crinkled at the edges, and he watched her gaze for a moment, his hand still holding her wrist, his fingers sliding over the soft pad of flesh just below her thumb.

“Well, if you prefer me like this, I guess I’ll learn to make do.”

“It’s not like that,” a quiet protest, really. She didn’t prefer him better this way. Did he think she was saying she didn’t like him well enough before?  
  
“Mm, I know.”

His hand tugged her wrist forward and before she knew it, Jeralt had cupped her face with his other hand, pulling her mouth to his. Byleth felt lightheaded at the sudden contact. The mere idea that he would kiss her first without prompting had never occurred to her before. His lips were soft against hers though, there was nothing urgent about the kiss itself, and Byleth let her body sink against his, her chest resting against his as his lips took their time with her mouth. When he parted their lips she blinked a few times, her face feeling warm from the sensation of his tongue against hers.

“Sorry, was that too much?” His thumb caressed her cheek. “The way you looked, I just wanted to kiss you.”

She shook her head emphatically. “It wasn’t too much. I… like when you kiss me.”

He grinned at that, plucking the light blue flower that she was still holding from her fingers. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he slipped the flower into her hair. He smirked again as though admiring his handiwork.

“Yeah, I have to say I like it too.”

He seemed perfectly content to remain like that, back against the grass, Byleth propped against his chest as he rubbed his hand in small circles underneath her jacket, just at the small of her back. It wouldn’t be sunset for a little while, and she was thankful for the rays that were there, warming them both. She could feel how warm he was when they were close like this. It would have been so easy to curl up beside him and fall asleep right there in the midst of the wildflowers. It was a tempting thought.

“Listen, Byleth. We should probably talk about things a bit now that we’re out of Garreg Mach and you’re not in some state of undress,” he laughed, but he seemed a bit nervous. He held onto her as he sat up, turning to face her as they sat in the grass. Although she had already discussed things with Sothis and already made peace with her choice, she was still unsure if there was something else she had to do. She had no frame of reference for this sort of thing. She wanted to talk, say something too, but she didn’t know what to say.

“What I mean to say is, this is… new. For both of us. I want us to understand each other. I want to make sure I understand what you want from this.”

“Okay,” she nodded. That seemed reasonable. “I want to be with you, always.”

“Do you even know what it means to be in a relationship like that?”

She paused and considered him for a moment. “Being close, isn’t that it?”

“It is different.” He emphasized. “It’s not like a relationship between a parent and child.”

“What are the differences?”

If it was anyone else he would have thought they were kidding but Byleth had never expressed interest in other people, he wasn’t too surprised if she wasn’t sure about the intricacies of an adult romantic relationship.

“It’s true that you and I have always been together. That much is the same. But the type of affection and love expressed is different. Like yesterday.”

“Good,” she replied frankly and he looked caught off guard. “I want more of your affection, all that you have to give.”

He watched Byleth’s face, serene as the water on the lake behind them and feeling more embarrassed than a man of his age had any right to feel.

“Byleth, the love between parent and child is… it’s like knowing you always have shelter from a storm, no matter what.”

“Like you for me,” she nodded.

“Yes but other love, romantic love… ah, how can I put it…” his fingers combed through the tuft of hair sticking up atop his head, a flower or two shaking loose in the process. “It’s bigger, more encompassing. It can feel consuming, like a forest fire, or a raging storm on an open sea, like you’ll be swallowed up in it. And it can be wonderful, but hearts can change. That’s how people get hurt. I never want to be the cause of your hurt or pain, Byleth.”

“You mean people change their minds, right? They part with someone who doesn’t want to part with them.”

“Yes, people break up for any number of reasons. Sometimes it’s a change of mind or a change of heart.”

“That’s simple,” she tilted her head not understanding what was so difficult about any of this. “My mind and heart have not changed for all these years. Being with you like this, just makes me all the more certain I want it even more… Are you worried you will change your mind?”

His eyebrows furrowed and he reached out for her hand, his calloused fingers came to wrap around her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. His eyes softened as he looked at her and Byleth liked that, the part of Jeralt she only got to see, the gentle expressions he rarely displayed.

“I’ve never seen you with a woman before,” she noted absent-mindedly while he pieced together his thoughts. “I always thought it was odd. The other mercenaries sometimes mentioned women but you never seemed to like that.”

“It was hardly an appropriate conversation for a young girl to overhear. They should have known better. Anyway, just what are you saying? You wanted me to be with someone?”

“No.” She answered quickly. “I would have hated her, I think. You aren’t a fickle man. You consider things carefully and plan accordingly. You follow through. I’ve never seen you change your mind about anything.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about changing their mind,” he frowned. “You’re right, I don’t take this lightly, no matter what it seems like. You’re still so young, Byleth- and Garreg Mach isn’t like any other place we’ve been. You will find someone more… appropriate. Someone you want to marry. When that time comes, I promise to support you, no matter who you choose for yourself.”

Byleth plucked her hand from his grasp, her eyes flashing her gaze piercing and he looked utterly shocked.

“You aren’t listening,” she poked his chest with her index finger with an alarming amount of force.

“Hey,” he rubbed the spot she had assaulted.

“You think I am going to fall in love at Garreg Mach?”

“Why is that so crazy?” He sighed, a melancholy smile lingering on his lips. “That’s what I did, after all.”

She had not been expecting that answer. “...My mother?”

“It was a lifetime ago and it wasn’t planned. It just… happened. That’s what love is like, Kid.” He pulled himself onto his two feet, his boots sinking into the soft soil they had been sitting on.

He reached his hand out to hers. He never spoke of her mother, and Byleth never asked. She didn’t remember her, and she didn’t know what she was meant to ask, anyway. The odds were terribly slim that he’d ever talk about her, really. Jeralt wasn’t the nostalgic type. He didn’t linger on the past, and he focused the most when he was thinking of the future. The next job, next meal, or next village. She wasn’t even sure what to ask him about now, and from where she sat in the grass, Jeralt looked large and imposing, like a ghost from a past she knew nothing about.

“I’ll take you to see her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was gonna be smut but then the dialogue got away from me. I'll make it up to you next chapter. We can't skirt around the obvious hurdles for much longer so we'll plow through 'em next time. And uh, if you've enjoyed reading this mess, let me know?


	4. Dangerous Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to reconcile the past with the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is nearly twice as long as the others. It's my way of saying thank you for all the wonderful comments and support.

The wind had picked up a bit and the sun had tinted the sky gold and purple and pink. The ride had felt long though, she knew it wasn’t. They hardly talked but that wasn’t abnormal for them by any stretch of the imagination. Being firmly planted on her own two feet was a welcome change, even if she felt oddly calm. The leaves rustled, casting a mix of light and shadows near her feet. Normally she would have been observing the trees and even admiring the way the dwindling light shone through them. Byleth found herself staring at an unmarked gravestone in the cemetery just off the side of the church, feeling like she wanted a strong gust of wind to just lift her off anywhere that wasn't this particular place.

The dining hall was closed for the night, there was no evening mass to partake in, and surely the students had either retired to their dormitories or lingered near the gazebo. This was about as alone the three of them would ever be.

No, it wasn’t unmarked as much as the name seemed scratched off, entirely illegible. She could file that under things she might never know. How was she meant to feel at this moment? Her mother here, lying underneath the soil. She was a ghost of a memory that haunted them both somehow, even now after everything they had been through.

“I should have brought you here the day we set foot back here. I’m sorry I didn’t.”

“…Why is her grave here?”

“Hm? Oh. Of course you would ask that… I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

Another non-answer. Byleth didn’t press it any further. She had expected that much, after all. Some things were difficult to say out loud, she understood that much. They had met here, perhaps it wasn’t that weird that her mother was laid to rest here, too.

The sound of the leaves filled in the silence between them, Byleth stealing a sidelong glance at Jeralt as he stared at the grave, a sad smile on his face. The flowers she’d placed in his sandy hair had blown free during their ride back to Garreg Mach. She touched the spot above her ear to check, and as sure as anything, the flower he’d placed there had managed to hold on this long.

She twirled it between her fingers, the pale blue color washed out by the sunset. It looked warmer in hue now, almost like it was on fire in her hands.

“I suppose I haven’t talked much about her. Your mother was gentle and smart. Ah, so smart. A wonderful cook. Always kind to everyone.”

His eye caught sight of Byleth fiddling with the flower that had been in her hair.

“And… she loved flowers. Whenever I brought her back an unusual flower, her face would light up. I cherish those memories. I can’t count how many times she made me happy just by smiling, and she smiled the most when she was pregnant with you.”

It was comforting and strange, to think someone so full of smiles had birthed her, someone who smiled seldom and rarely. She felt so different from her mother, who she was told she resembled so much.

“She died right after you were born. She wasn’t able to spend much time with you… but she loved you with all her heart. That’s the truest thing I know… Never forget it.”

Byleth ceased spinning the flower, looking at the grave and her hands before stepping forward to set the small flower just under the headstone, nestled between the blades of grass there so it wouldn’t just blow away.

“Mother,” She spoke not knowing if her mother could even hear her, not knowing much more than she had begun the day knowing. Maybe it was easier not to know.

“I heard you like flowers. It’s not a particularly unusual one but, I liked it very much.”

She took a few steps back to her spot besides Jeralt. One minute she knew nothing about her mother and now she knew enough to paint a picture of her in general terms. It was like having an outline of a drawing without anything else filled in. She could make out its shape but would never know the scope of the thing she was trying to imagine in her mind.

“I’m here with Father. We’re doing well. Father taught me to be a strong and a capable Mercenary, and now I’m a Professor here at Garreg Mach. I suppose a lot has happened since you’ve been here resting.”

Her hands balled up tightly at her sides, feeling strange the more she spoke out loud in the empty cemetery. She had felt so close to Jeralt lately, she felt they were moving forward but, maybe they were just taking steps back to how it had always been.

“I don’t think we have a lot in common. I don’t smile as much, and I am not a very good cook. I am not sure if I’m kind or smart… but we share some resemblance I hear. I must look like you, right? And… we both love flowers and Dad.”

“Byleth…” His voice was there beside her but she couldn’t look at him, couldn’t stop until she all the words had been said.

“I want to thank you for everything, Mom. ”

The word felt funny on her lips, like trying on new shoes that were too tight.

“I know you were the person who made Father happy with your smiles but… I’ll do my best to make Dad happy, too! I will stay by his side because for me he’s an important person I can’t be without. You understand, right? So please smile down on us, too.”

She turned heel and headed back to her room, not realizing she was running the whole way, not stopping until she had reached the safety of her room, back against the door as it shut behind her.

* * *

What had gotten into her? Byleth sat at the edge of her bed, elbows resting against her legs as her hands held her head. Maybe it had been too much, to see and hear about her mother, how wonderful and…normal she was. To have to hear about how Jeralt loved her, she felt so foolish because surely she had known they had loved each other, but it made her so… distressed.

He was always finding a reason to backtrack after she had thought they were moving forward.

If her mother was his love, that meant she had qualities he admired and if Byleth had none of them, what did that mean, truly. Maybe she was someone who could never be on the receiving end of those kinds of feelings.

Perhaps he didn’t love her as she loved him. He wouldn’t be changing his mind if he shared this feeling she had…

And yet that was the first time she had even thought of it as love when she spoke it out loud in the fading light. What was this feeling? It was heavy to bear, a weight on her chest when he did not seem to the depth of her feelings, and lightness when he smiled at her, a constant back and forth between extremes.

Was this what he had tried to explain to her among the flowers?

“Byleth, can I come in? Please?”

The knock caused her to look up at the door, hesitating for a moment to consider what she should do. Her outburst was so uncharacteristic for her, it was not something she knew how to explain or deal with. What was she supposed to say?

“Are you really not going to let me in? I saw you go in there a few minutes ago, you know.”

She cursed under her breath, hesitating another moment before getting up to unlock the door, tugging it open but avoiding eye contact with him at all costs. She sat on the edge of the bed and decided to stare at her hands with unparalleled interest, as though something truly interesting was happening at the tips of her fingers.

She felt him close the door and pause before crossing the room towards her. She could see his feet in front of her, but she didn’t dare look directly at him.

“Byleth.” He spoke quietly as if willing her to look at him. When a few moments passed and she hadn’t, he chose instead to kneel in front of her, so that it was next to impossible not to look at him.

“There you are,” his voice was so calm and gentle… but she couldn’t understand how that could be. She was a horrible daughter.

“I owe you an apology.”

That was enough to have her look at him, but his face was impossible to read.

“I could have picked a better time to take you to meet your mother. But, you know, I’m glad you were able to finally see her.”

“But I-”

“Hold on now, let me finish, okay? I also owe you an apology for projecting my worries onto you. You were right, I wasn’t listening. I should have been listening harder. Hell, I should have noticed sooner, too. It wasn’t fair to you. I’m so sorry.”

His hands reached up to clasp around both of hers and she stared at the image of their hands together like that for a moment, feeling a bit calmer than she had just minutes ago. She looked up at him again, not speaking just yet. It felt like there was something else he wanted to say and she didn’t want to interrupt him.

“It’s been difficult for me over these past few days to reconcile what I feel for you as a father and… how I feel about you as a man. It’s a big change, and it’s complicated.”

His expression faltered for a moment and he seemed conflicted. Her own heart was certain and sure but she supposed that couldn’t be the same for him. He was finding out about what was in her heart and he was trying to understand it.

“I did wonder what your mother would say if she knew... if she saw us like this now- but I can’t pretend to speak for the dead. I might never know what she would think about the things we have done, but all I can hope is that she will come to forgive me for it one day.”

He squeezed her hands gently. “When you love someone so much, and you lose them to something like death, something neither of you has control over- that love doesn’t just stop. I will always love your mother Byleth, she gave me so many precious things: memories and smiles and you.”

He guided her hands towards his lips and Jeralt kissed her knuckles, one on each hand, before holding them in his hands once more. Her stomach fluttered again but held fast to the feeling, unsure where he was going with all of this.

“You need to know that you already make me happy. You don’t need to be anything like your Mother. Just being as you are now, it’s more than enough, Byleth. You are kind, you are thoughtful and listen closely to others, and you’re honest. You may resemble her but, you are your own person.”

“I- I’m sorry too.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?”

“The way I acted,” she wasn’t sure she wanted to get into detail. “It was not my finest moment.”

“Really? Is it bad if I enjoyed it, just a little bit?”

“How could you like any of that?” She was incredulous now.

“Ah well, it was sweeter than you think. It got me right here.” He held one of her hands over his heart. “Plus, you called me Dad. Let me enjoy it a little bit.”

She so rarely called him that, so she supposed she could let it slide if it had made him so happy to hear it.

“Listen, Kid.” He reached into the satchel on his hip and produced something she couldn’t see clearly at first until he held it between his thumb and index finger. He placed it the hand that wasn’t pressed against his heart, in the center of her palm.

It was a ring, a silver band with intricate engravings surrounding sapphires, set in the shape of a blue flower, it seemed to her. She didn’t own any jewelry but had seen enough to know this was a woman’s ring, and one that was precious to him by the way that he handled it.

“This ring is the only keepsake I have of your mother. It was a symbol of a promise I made. Byleth, I can’t ever make you promises of a future or give you a ring of your own.”

Jeralt let go of the hold of his hand against his chest and reached up to touch her face, his hand pushing some hair behind her ear before cupping her cheek.

“There will be many things I can’t give you… but, I can surely give you this ring to do with as you see fit, and I can promise to stay by your side until I draw my last breath. It’s yours now. So am I.”

Her vision began to blur a bit at the edges, Jeralt’s face became hazy in her field of view until a tear slid down her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb, a small smile on his face.

“To think that the first time I’d ever see you cry, it would be because of me.”

He kissed the wet spot against her cheek.

“What do you say, Kid?”

Her finger enclosed the ring safely within her hand and she blinked until her vision was clear, and she could see his face, smiling for her. Byleth leaned forward, her mouth finding his as easily as she drew breath. It was everything their last kiss was not, needy and wanting, full of desire for more of everything. If he was hers, she wanted him without hesitation, no matter what it meant.

She could feel a low murmur against her lips, a pleasing sound as she kissed him. His beard still tickled but she liked it. When she had to part to take a breath of air, her lips had already begun to miss his.

“Yes,” she whispered, her mouth a mere breath away from his. “I will have you.”

“I’d hoped as much,” he returned.

“Ah, hold on, I want to put this somewhere safe.”

She straightened up and leaned over to a small box on a table near her bed. She had to shift a bit, scooting towards the table and placing the ring inside of it.

It would be strange if she wore it and truthfully Byleth didn’t desire to wear a ring on her finger. In battle, it would be bothersome, probably uncomfortable. She would much prefer another solution to holding onto it safely.

Maybe she could wear it around her neck somehow? She wasn’t really sure how accessories worked, what was practical or not outside of not wearing things like that at all. She would hold onto it until the solution revealed itself to her.

Her legs folded beneath her she reached out for him, wanting to hold him and be held by him. It was a small movement, her arms reaching out, fingers bending as if to beckon him closer, and he obliged her, a knee sinking into the mattress as he slid his arms around her middle.

“So then… it’s just you and me?” She spoke the words carefully as if saying them would make things more real. “No one else, right?”

“Who else could there be?” He mused. “You’re the most important person to me, there couldn’t be anyone else. I’m yours for as long as you want me.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and she pulled him forward, her body twisting so that he was now laying on his, Byleth landing on top of him, her face pressed against his neck.

“For always,” she pulled her face back so she could look at him, and a small smile played on her lips. “I have _always_ wanted you.”

Byleth kissed him as a feeling bubbled up inside of her. Maybe this was joy, she thought as her lips pressed against his, feather-light kisses peppering his mouth over and over until he caught her lower lip between his teeth. Her stomach fluttered and she hummed softly against his mouth as Jeralt led their lips in a slow dance together. He nipped at her bottom lip, tracing his tongue over it before catching her lips once more. Something about the way he kissed her made Byleth feel warm all over, from the back of her neck all the way down to her toes. How did he do that? It was a marvel.

She supposed there was ample time to find out.

“Always, huh?” He smiled against her mouth, his hand reaching up to her hip. His thumb slid over an inch and found the exposed patch of skin on her stomach, the rest of his hand following to stroke her bare stomach, tracing around her belly button happily. It was so small and cute, he couldn’t help but touch it.

“Yes,” she replied simply. It felt like always. Long before they had ever set foot in this place, before he had indulged her by letting her share his room that night a few days ago, Byleth had often thought of him when it was just her thoughts and her hands alone in the dark. She had often imagined him when she had dared to clumsily explore her own body in dark rooms.

She always thought of him, but it never felt as good as this.

Encouraged by his declaration and his decision she moved down his body, undoing the ties that held up his breeches. His hand moved as though he might stop her but it touched her shoulder instead, rubbing her flesh through the fabric of her clothes. It still felt nice though, she noted.

“I want to kiss you here,” her voice was even, calm as her eyes met his and he offered no protest, much to her surprise.

Good. After all, she was tired of hearing the reasons why things should not be as they were now. She chose this path and she did not want to ever look back, ever again.

When her hands were done with their busywork, she tugged down at the fabric to expose his cock. It was not as stiff and swollen as when she had seen it last, and Byleth grasped it with one hand, becoming familiar with the most intimate place on the man she loved the most. She didn’t know very much about a man’s body or what lovers did in private but she was perhaps smart enough to piece things together herself. After all, their bodies were made for this, weren’t they?

He was warm and half-hard in her hand. It was less imposing compared to when he had laid it flat against her belly, and Byleth pressed her lips against his cock, just at the flared out head of his dick. It was a soft kiss, lips fluttering over his skin, testing what it was like.

He breathed in sharply and she considered her plan of attack for a moment before sliding her fingers loosely up and down the length of him. Her fingers appreciated the feel of him, the slight variations in texture she felt underneath the pads of her fingertips before coming to rest at his base, brushing against the yellow curls that resided there.

“Does it feel good when I touch you?”

“Yes,” he breathed quietly but did not say much else.

“Tell me how to make you feel good,” she inched her mouth closer waiting for him to instruct her, much like he always did.

“Your mouth. Carefully, minding your teeth stay out of the way… it feels good if you put it in your mouth, and stroke it with your hands.”

Ever the eager student, she parted her lips and carefully took him into her mouth, guiding him carefully past her lips, taking in most of his length and back up again. She repeated it a few times, each subsequent pass of her lips over his cock a bit more fluid and easy for her.

He moaned softly for her and she moved her mouth off of him, blue eyes watching him keenly.

“Interesting,” was all she said, her hands now sliding up and down his shaft which was now slick with her spit. She could feel him getting harder, could see that it was looking a bit more like it had yesterday.

“What else do you like? Teach me what to do to please you properly.”

His eyes seemed a bit heavier and lidded at her words and he licked his lips. “Suck on the tip, the underside is sensitive too. Use your tongue a little more…”

She liked specifics. Byleth popped the head of his cock between her lips, sucking gently, her tongue tracing along the ridge of the head of his cock and the slit at the very tip. It made a slight popping sound when her lips smacked free and she eased her mouth along the underside of his shaft, lips wrapping eagerly around him and licking along his shaft, her eyes alternating from his face to his dick as it seemed to grow harder.

One hand held him firmly at his base while the other explored tentatively. She touched his stomach, the tops of his thighs, and her fingers traced over his balls with quiet interest. He jerked in response and she looked up at him not sure if that had been a good or bad reaction.

“Does that hurt?”

“No, no,” he laughed quietly. “You didn’t hurt me. It feels good there, too.”

Ah, so that’s what that had been. Hm, well, it stood to reason that she had done to make him feel good a few minutes ago would also work here as well, right? Byleth let her tongue dart out to lick him there, and after assessing that he liked it, she kissed them gently before sucking one into her mouth, giving it attention with her tongue as he called her name in a way that made her stomach feel warm.

It was thrilling to use her mouth on him in this way. To have her Jeralt laying before her, moaning because of her. She wanted more of it, and she greedily used her mouth on his cock some more, moving a little quicker as she became used to the feeling of him in her mouth and was used to the movements themselves.

One hand stroked his base as her mouth kept him slick between her fingertips and the other one delved lower to touch and fondle the other place he said felt good for him too. He was hard now, bigger than he had been at the start, and there was a slight salty taste in her mouth she had noticed. It wasn’t altogether unpleasant, it was just new.

“Fuck, Byleth. If you don’t slow down I’m going to come.”

Well, that was an enticing prospect. Why wouldn’t she want him to come from her ministrations? His words did nothing to deter her, and instead, Byleth’s mouth moved a little quicker, hungrily taking as much of him into her mouth as she could muster while dutifully stroking his cock, fingertips squeezing him just a little firmer than she had been before.

It didn’t take long then, and she felt his dick twitch before she heard Jeralt curse under his breath and then suddenly something hot and viscous filled her mouth. It surprised her completely and the taste was strange. She attempted to swallow as much as she could but some of it could not help but escape her lips, sliding down her chin as she gulped the last bit of what was remaining in her mouth.

He was breathing hard on the bed and she sat up a bit, assessing the sticky substance that clung to her chin. Hm, it did feel odd, she noted. She had only seen it when it had spilled out onto her sheets but he had been quick to clean it up as best as he could.

“Even though you swallowed most of it, you still left a bit of a mess.” His thumb traced over her lips, tenderly cleaning up what remained on her lips and chin with his fingertips before kissing her, deep and lingering and she leaned into it before he pulled back.

“Of course you did. Not sure why I’m surprised.”

“Should I have not?”

“Some people don’t much care for swallowing it. It’s just a preference.”

“I… didn’t mind it.”

“Is that right? It was quite the sight, I’ll admit.”

She watched as he moved his hands to his breeches, his cock soft now, able to be easily tucked underneath the fabric.

“I might be spent now, but I can still return the favor.”

He sat up and urged her to lie down this time, his hands on her shoulders and slowly tracing over her chest, stopping at her shorts to start the process of removing them from her body.

“W-wait. You don’t have to.”

He had already undone her bottoms and had slid them off her legs, working on her shoes when she had started to protest.

“Of course I don’t have to. I _want_ to. There’s a difference.”

Her shoes hit the floor unceremoniously and he reached up to grab her tights. Byleth didn’t know how to deter him, and words were failing her. He’d peeled them off her legs and the only thing stopping Jeralt from his current goal was her modest undergarments.

“You can’t, I was training earlier. I was sweaty… it’s dirty there.”

His face looked completely unconcerned. “That’s the only reason? You’re not dirty, don’t be ridiculous.”

He slid his thumbs over her undergarment and slid it down her legs, dropping them on the floor next to her other things. His hands slid back up her legs, pausing at her knees to part them so he could get a better look at her.

“Y-you shouldn’t, Dad.”

His eyes seem to get a shade darker at her words, and he grinned. To Byleth, Jeralt looked like a wolf, hungry as he watched her from between her legs. It made her shiver.

“Careful now, if you start calling me that I don’t think I’d know what to do.”

He used his thumbs to part her lips, and he was pleased to find she was already wet for him. His mouth pressed against her without hesitation, licking her thoroughly, long strokes of his tongue against her slit until her hips had begun to squirm a bit.

It was deeply embarrassing, not least of all the obscene smacking sounds of his mouth against her pussy; but his mouth felt too good, and in truth, she wanted his mouth on her, too. Pleasuring him had left her aching for his touch, and she knew she was wet, even before he had undressed her. She couldn’t help herself. With his mouth on her like this, her prior worries melted away easily.

“You taste delicious.” He muttered against her, before licking some more, his mouth lingering against her clit for a moment, sucking her with a slow and steady rhythm until she began to make quiet whimpering noises.

“There’s no part of you that’s dirty, no part that I don’t want to kiss or touch or taste. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she answered shakily and was rewarded with his fingers rubbing against her clit.

“Good girl,” his praise was punctuated by his tongue circling her entrance, sliding inside of her, wet and warm.

She lifted her hips off the bed and a hand smoothed over them, steadying her against his hungry mouth. His ministrations always made her squirm, the sensations good but stirring something inside of her that sometimes made her legs jerk, the muscles in her legs tense, her toes curl.

His mouth left its place against her but a finger slid inside of her deftly, and she sighed. For a moment she thought he might leave her empty of him.

“What do you like, Professor? Maybe there’s something you can teach me instead to make you feel good.”

A second digit joined the first one, her back arching a little to push down against his hand. She thought idly about what she liked, and sure, she had touched herself, and it was alright but the act of being with someone made everything monumentally better.

“Don’t tease me,” she managed to get out, her fingers reaching for his hair, threading her fingers in his hair, needing something of his to hold on to.

“I don’t mean to,” he promised, kissing the inside of her thigh, pale and smooth, moving higher and higher before biting gently, making her gasp. “What do you usually do if you touch yourself?”

“I use my fingers,” she said, biting her lip after.

“That’s good,” he curled two fingers inside of her, curling his knuckles a bit, his fingertips fluttering inside of her. “How many?”

“Two.”

“Mm,” he noted and pulled his fingers out of her so he could slide a third digit to join the first two, slowly, watching her face intently. “How about this? Is that okay?”

She felt her body accommodating the added girth and she felt full in a good way. She could only nod, however, words were getting harder to articulate.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, his fingers sliding slowly in and out of her.

“N-no. Your fingers are just bigger than mine.”

“That’s true.”

Jeralt smirked and pressed more kisses trailing up her thigh, inching closer to her clit, hovering near but not touching it just yet. His fingers rotated slightly, entering her at a new angle, just a bit faster than before.

“Don’t be afraid to tell me when something feels good,” he assured her. “If something feels really good I want to know, so I can keep doing it. I want you to come for me, Byleth.”

Her fingers tugged at his hair and she nodded again. That was enough of a confirmation for him and he slid his tongue over her clit, varying his motions, their direction, and speed while his fingers continued to thrust in and out of her. She was wetter now, and his fingers seemed to move a bit more easily because of it.

“Ah, there. That thing with your tongue. Don’t stop!”

That was all the urging he needed, he repeated it until she was starting to squeeze down against his fingers. He swapped out his tongue for his free hand, rubbing her clit with his thumb and kissing her inner thighs some more.

For Byleth it was impossible to tell Jeralt what was good or not. He did things that she could never do herself. His fingers were so different from her own, his mouth on her was wet and eager, his tongue hitting just the right spots it was hard for her to even think clearly. When his thumb replaced his tongue she bent her knees a bit, his finger moving quicker and more precisely than his tongue could over a spot that felt particularly good. She could feel her body tense, her toes curled against the bedsheets.

“Relax for me,” he said and when he could feel her muscles relax a bit, his hand shifted slightly and moved faster now, using his wrist to rock his hand against her, quicker now. “That’s it, now.”

“I think I’m close.”

She tugged his hair a bit and he could feel her body trembling from his front-row seat between her thighs. Jeralt moved his mouth back to her clit, sucking on it as his fingers worked inside of her, applying pressure to what he could feel was _the _spot he was looking for- the one that every woman had if you only took the time to find it.

It was only another minute before he was rewarded for his efforts with Byleth gasping and shaking, her walls clamping down on his fingers. He couldn’t help but slide his soaked fingers out of the way and replace them with his mouth, his tongue dipping inside of her so he could taste as much of her as he could.

Byleth had her eyes shut tight when she came, the feeling too much to not be completely caught up in it. Her body felt tingly all over and she realized she was fisting Jeralt’s hair. She felt worried she might have pulled too hard but he didn’t seem to mind, as she watched his mouth still on her, between her legs. It was enough to make Byleth blush and she couldn’t see his lips but she was sure he was probably smiling.

He planted a wet kiss on her left thigh before sitting up, wiping the dampness from his beard and lips with the sleeve of his shirt nonchalantly. He caught her staring and raised an eyebrow at her.

She didn’t come up with anything to say, feeling in her gut that no matter how she addressed the sight of his messy hair and face with traces of her on his lips, he would find a retort that would make her face feel flushed.

Rubber-limbed and tired, the day’s events were catching up to Byleth. She felt so fatigued, her muscles sore, her body equal parts blissful and spent. Her fingers slowly worked to undo the buttons and fastenings that held her outfit together. She was removing the cape from her shoulders when she felt the mattress dip slighting where he was resting his weight on it. Her cape was draped on the bedpost and she sighed as he helped free her from her shirt.

Byleth might have resisted his help undressing but she found it felt quite nice having Jeralt help peel her out of her clothes, with two pairs of hands it was quick work and she could finally rest comfortably in his arms. She was donning a loose top and not much else, but Jeralt pulled the blanket over her to keep her warm. She lamented that she couldn’t feel his skin against hers, but she knew he couldn’t stay very long. After all, it was late but it wasn’t _that_ late. He had work to do, and likely had people who might seek him out before it was late enough that they might think twice about disturbing him.

Her cheek was against his chest and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, her arms being gently stroked by hands that were so much rougher than hers were. They remained quiet a while longer, Byleth listening to the beat of his heart and the sound of his breathing. She wouldn’t ask him to stay when she knew he could not. Instead, she’d enjoy this particular moment for as long as it lasted, threading her fingers through his underneath the blanket, giving him a gentle squeeze, as though her fingers were hugging his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments I got since the last chapter was posted. Every time someone leaves a comment about going to hell, I grow a little bit stronger. 
> 
> Used some actual in-game dialogue in here for the sake of feeling a bit more true to the game. 
> 
> Between you and I, they almost did the down and dirty in this chapter but it just didn't happen that way for a few reasons. That's probably the part of me that's obsessed with slow-burn coming out. I'm not sure I can delay it much longer though!


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